THE afternoon before the Quick Draw, the final event of last year’s inaugural Kauai Plein Air Invitational, Oahu artist Susie Anderson and her husband drove to the Kala­lau Lookout, a scenic spot they hadn’t visited in 30 years. As they enjoyed a spectacular sunset, they started chatting with a Hollywood videographer, Wayne Williams, who was shooting footage there. Discovering they had a lot in common, the three talked until the sun disappeared.

In the morning, Anderson arrived at Kala­paki Beach for the Quick Draw, chagrined to find it was gray and rainy — the worst possible conditions for painting "en plein air" (French for "in the open air"). Still, she and the 12 other artists participating in the invitational had to create a painting there, before an audience, in just two hours.

According to Anderson, plein air artists usually take their time selecting a subject, work in quiet solitude for as long as the light allows and try to finish about 80 percent of the painting with no guarantee of bringing home a "keeper." They return to the studio to correct any problems and put on the finishing touches at their leisure.

"With the Quick Draw you don’t have such luxury," Anderson said. "You go the site, hoping to find an inspiring view right away. You set up your equipment, wait for the shotgun start, paint feverishly for two straight hours and stop when the ‘all-brushes-down’ whistle blows, whether or not you’re done. Then you sign the wet painting, pop it into a frame and deliver it to the exhibition as is. It’s very challenging and nerve-wracking — a true test of your skill."

To Anderson’s delight, her new friend Williams showed up at the Quick Draw to carry her backpack, hold an umbrella over her head, and provide support and camaraderie.

"He was my cheerleader, he made me laugh, he gave me the inspiration I needed to succeed," Anderson said. "I was happy my painting of the historic Kala­paki footbridge sold at the exhibition that afternoon. I believe the buyer sensed the positive energy I felt that morning, despite the gloomy weather."

Barbara Kennedy, Wai­oli Mission House’s longtime docent, came up with the idea for the Kauai Plein Air Invitational in mid-2009, as nonprofit entities across the country were feeling the effects of the economic downturn.

"Budgets for Grove Farm, Wai­oli Mission House and Maha­moku Beach House museums were hit hard," Kennedy said. "Many meetings were held to come up with fundraising options so we could continue to preserve the sites and their valuable historical collections."

Meanwhile, two of her friends returned from a plein air invitational on Maui, thrilled about the experience and the five original paintings that they had bought.

"I thought, ‘That could work on Kauai to aid the museums and support local artists,’" Kennedy said. Her mind began to race. An esteemed group of island artists representing all genres could be invited to participate. For a full week they would set up their easels throughout Kauai. Passers-by would stop, "talk story" with them and learn about their background, tools, techniques and favorite subjects. The event would culminate with an exhibition and sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Grove Farm, Wai­oli Mission House and Maha­moku Beach House.

"Visitors always want to take a part of Hawaii home with them," Kennedy said. "An original painting is more meaningful than a T-shirt or macadamia nut chocolates; it’s something they can enjoy and share for years. Also, development alters views. The scenes preserved on canvas today could have historical value tomorrow."

Planning the inaugural Kauai Plein Air Invitational began in earnest in early 2010. Kennedy estimates 275 people attended the event last June. Twenty-seven paintings sold, raising more than $23,000 for the museums. She’s hoping a bigger crowd will generate more funds this year to help pay for repairs, new roofs, tree trimming and other proj­ects.

Set for June 9-16, the second annual Kauai Plein Air Invitational will spotlight 16 artists from Kauai, Oahu and Lanai. "They each have their own style and perspectives, so their interpretations of the same scene will be very different," Kennedy said. "Plein air paintings not only reveal the beauty and wonder of the outdoors in ways we may not have noticed before; they capture a moment in time and the soul of the person behind the easel."

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.

THE BENEFICIARIES

Grove Farm, 4050 Nawiliwili Road, Lihue

Two-hour tours are available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Requested donation: $20 for adults and $10 for children 5-12 years old. Advance reservations are required. 245-3202; www.grovefarm.net

In 1864, at the height of the Civil War, George Wilcox, the second-eldest son of missionaries Abner and Lucy Wilcox, acquired Grove Farm, a struggling 900-acre farm on the outskirts of Lihue. The war had destroyed the agriculture industry in the southern United States, including sugar, and Wilcox envisioned the crop could be successful on Kauai.

Grove Farm was the center of operations for the sugar plantation he and his brother Sam ran (it remained in business until 1974). Placed on both the Hawaii and National Registers of Historic Places (in 1971 and 1974, respectively), the homestead now exhibits a trove of priceless Wilcox family treasures, including an 1861 Chickering grand piano; beautiful wood calabashes, all at least a century old; and hundreds of Hawaiian-themed books, including an original three-volume set of journals that Capt. James Cook wrote about his Pacific voyages.

Waioli Mission House, 05-5373 Kuhio Highway, Hanalei

Forty-five-minute tours are available 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Reservations are not necessary. Requested donation: $10 for adults and $5 for children 5-12 years old. 245-3202; www.waiolimissionhouse.org

Completed in 1837, Waioli Mission House was the residence of three of Kauai’s early missionary families: William and Mary Ann Alexander (1837-1842), George and Malvina Rowell (1843-1846) and Abner and Lucy Wilcox (1846-1869). It was acquired by the Wilcoxes’ granddaughters in 1919, restored in 1921 for their use and formally organized as a museum in 1952.

Most of the items on display belonged to the Wilcox family. Among the highlights are a koa settee, a rosewood melodeon, Abner’s 1806 Bible and Lucy’s 14-pound iron, which was heated by hot coals. The centerpiece of 48 lush acres, the house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

Mahamoku Beach House, 5344 Weke Road, Hanalei

The house is being restored. Occasional tours and exhibits are available to the community and special-interest groups.

Mabel Wilcox, affectionately known as "Miss Mabel," was one of Abner and Lucy’s granddaughters. She owned this charming 2,436-square-foot cottage with expansive views of Hana•lei Bay and the majestic mountain Namolokama, meaning "island of peace."

Miss Mabel’s brother Charles helped her design the house, which was constructed in 1914 and placed on the Hawaii Register of Historic Places in 1987. Of special note is a miniature Chinese village, set in an open shallow box lined with sand. Visitors young and old enjoyed arranging the hand-painted porcelain buildings, pagodas, bridges and people.